Fixed timelines for effective action to check intrusion at protected monuments, punitive action against officials in cases of gross negligence, empowerment of local panchayats to provide security at unprotected sites, and usage of satellite imagery to check intrusions — these are some of the provisions that a Parliamentary panel has sought in the upcoming amendment of the AMASR Act to safeguard the country’s cultural heritage.

The panel’s concern arises amidst growing encroachment in the Centrally protected monuments (CPMs). In 2019, the Government informed the Rajya Sabha that there were 321 protected monuments whose sites had been infringed. The number has now increased to 356 as per the Government.

The panel, led by Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy, has recommended to the Centre that in the upcoming amendment of the AMASR Act, “strong provisions” may be incorporated to fix the accountability of Government officials, ensuring necessary steps are taken timely to tackle encroachment of Centrally protected monuments.

“The committee takes note of the existing framework and recommends that in the upcoming amendment of the AMASR Act being worked upon by the Ministry, strong provisions may be incorporated to fix the accountability of concerned Government officials to ensure that necessary steps are taken timely for tackling encroachment of Centrally Protected Monuments,” it said.

The department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, in its report, further states that the concerned officials should be liable to be prosecuted in case of gross negligence of their duties with regard to tackling encroachment of CPMs. The panel also recommends that the Ministry may examine the powers given to District Forest Officers (DFOs) under The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and consider granting similar powers to ASI officials to effectively curb the issue of encroachment of CPMs.

The committee notes that no proposal exists at present with ASI for empowering local bodies to provide security guards to the unprotected monuments. “The Committee feels that given their proximity and cultural ties with local monuments, local bodies are best suited to look after the protection of historical monuments, especially those which are not under the list of CPMs.” Empowering local bodies to provide security guards at such monuments for their protection can go a long way in ensuring that these monuments are preserved in their present state for generations to come.

“The committee, therefore, strongly recommends that provisions to empower the local bodies for the protection of historical monuments and to make them accountable may be incorporated in the amendment of the AMASR Act that is being worked upon by the Ministry,” said the report.

The committee feels that there is a scope for using satellite imagery to monitor the CPMs across the country for encroachment and any illegal construction activities in the prohibited and regulated areas of the same. Satellite imagery should also be used to try and trace the monuments which are untraceable at present and to ensure that no existing CPMs become untraceable in the future.

The committee, therefore, recommends that ASI may approach ISRO and, if feasible, sign a Memorandum of Understanding with ISRO to utilise ISRO satellite imagery for these purposes.

‘Three hundred sixty-third report on the action taken by the Government on the recommendations/ observations of the committee contained in its three hundred twenty-fourth report’ on ‘Issues relating to Untraceable Monuments and Protection of Monuments in India,’ was presented in both Houses last week. The sites under the ASI are maintained under the ambit of the AMSAR (Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains) Act. At present, over 3,690 monuments are under the ASI.

According to reports, Uttar Pradesh, at 743, tops the list of CPMs that have been illegally encroached, followed by Tamil Nadu (412), Karnataka and Maharashtra with 48 and 46 such monuments, respectively. Gujarat has the fifth-highest number of illegally encroached ASI-covered monuments.